you opened your eyes, spreading it wide

[promittere]

THIRD QUARTER ALLEGRO

While our newly-arrived wizards have been settling in, learning their magic, and getting to know one another, the sage and their mentor have been busy with a different kind of work behind the scenes—bureaucratic work. It hasn't been particularly exciting, but it has paid off.

Because now, the world is ready to receive them.

Put on your finest clothes, because Granvelle Castle invites you to a welcome ball in your honor.

Didn't bring any fine clothes with you? No need to worry—specially chosen tailors from Central Capital have been commissioned to take care of you, and they will be visiting the manor to get you gussied up in the fashion of your choice for the day (by this, we mean feel free to pick whatever fancy clothes you want for the ball).

As the sun sets on the designated day, all the residents of the manor make their way to the castle. Granvelle Castle stands proud in Central Capital, its lights a beacon in the darkening city, and its doors open to outsiders for the first time in weeks. Upon arrival they're greeted by brightly lit halls, welcoming staff, and a grand ballroom, windows flung open to let in the spring breeze and pale moonlight. Everyone and everything seems determined to make this a cheerful affair, despite the underlying sense of dread and tension.

Live music fills the air, played the greatest musicians in the world. There are some larger ensembles, solo acts; some pieces are of more traditional folk dances, while some are slower, and some are upbeat and avant-garde. Regardless, the floor is open for dancing—grab a buddy and dance the night away!

Lining one wall is a long banquet table, filled with plenty of food and drink, both alcoholic and non to sate the new arrivals. The hors d'oeuvres and small plates comprise an array of delicacies from around the world, with everything from savory lobster bites to the sweetest portions of tres leches you have ever tasted. It seems someone has also put in a specific request for Japanese food—a part of the banquet table has been set aside specifically for Japanese dishes, and this includes small portions of ramen. There also seems to be a plate on the far end of the table filled with lovingly stacked pieces of charcoal... Is that meant to be food?

You aren't the only ones in attendance tonight. Representatives and dignitaries from around the world are also present—they have quite a lot to say about the unusual situation, and they are most curious about these otherworldly individuals tasked with fending off the moon under their national banners. The most dignitaries are from Central, West, and East, while there do seem to be a few representatives from the less populated North and South. Those from Central, West, and South in general seem to be the most social, while the rest are more reserved. There are also a few of the castle staff that seem (begrudgingly) willing to speak with the new wizards. Most are here to chat and mingle—lend them an ear, you may learn something new...

For those tired of socializing, the ballroom opens out onto a breezy, spacious balcony. It looks out over the main thoroughfare leading to the main castle entrance, and the nighttime lights of the Central capital twinkle in the near distance. For those that would rather take a breather, there is a small patio table and a couple of chairs. Despite the waxing moon in the sky, it is a very nice evening.

If you would like to have a chat with an NPC, then please respond to this comment. NPCs will be assigned randomly if no preference is given. While everyone has something valuable to say, they're not giving potentially sensitive info out for free—let's hope your diplomatic skills are up to snuff. We're doing our best to give everyone meaningful conversations, so please bear with us!

JOB BOARD

Rejuvenation. Thanks to your Southern friends' hard work, the South has been saved from a potentially devastating crop failure, and these fledgling towns can continue to grow as they're meant to! Give them a pat on the back and a round of applause.

But the South is not without its scars. While the root cause has been taken care of, the damage has been done. A town's wheat field has been partially destroyed—help them tear out the blackened, dead wheat, till and fertilize the soil, and replant what can be replanted. The City of Clouds, the most prosperous of the Southern settlements, have also offered extra tools, hands, and seeds to help set the town back on the path to recovery. Transport these supplies to the town. Let's hope your broom skills are up to snuff too, because it's a long ride.

Shadows in the night. The residents of the Central capital have recently been reporting eerie sightings after sundown: shadowy figures lurking in corners, the constant feeling of being watched, and, in some extreme cases, these shadowy figures attacking when traveling alone at night. Many reports seem to indicate an odd concentration of these creepy figures lurking around the Granvelle Castle moat, as though trying to find a way into the castle. Residents are understandably frightened and unnerved and cannot go about their nightly business—beat back what shadows you find and make the streets safer for the Central capital residents.

While physical attacks don't seem to do much against them, they dissipate rather easily under magic. Try not to wear yourself to the bone, though—there are a lot of them.

Escorting nobility. The Eastern Blanchett noble family have called an important meeting, inviting nobles and others of import from across the Eastern Country. However, their castle lies beyond Sherwood Forest, a very large, dense, and deep wood—while a fine natural defense for the Blanchett family, it's a bit of trouble for those looking to visit. While the Blanchett's own forest guard is absent, it is your job to safely escort these nobles to the Blanchett abode, and back out. But be careful: lurking in the shadows amongst the trees are all sorts of territorial predators like bears and wolves, not to mention the magical beasts that sneak up on unsuspecting prey. You may come across a brigand or bandit or two, since the forest is a near perfect hiding place for illegal activity. And please—try not to get lost.

Typical of any Easterner, the nobles are reluctant to make much small talk and are a bit suspicious of the new wizards, but they are otherwise pleasant and will generally comply with most requests.

WANDERER TASKS

Can you go a week without ruining food or the pots and pans? Stop being so wasteful and learn how to cook or stop trying.

Learn how to use magic to repair things. Again, if you're going to keep ruining the kitchen at least learn how to put it back together.

TATARA ACTIVITIES

I need milk. I'm trying to perfect latte foam art, but I haven't really gotten the hang of it yet... I used up all the milk (oops, sorry!), so I need more. Actually, could you grab me other kinds of milk while you're at it? I want to experiment! I'm sure other markets in the farther reaches of the world will have weirder milk... Please!

We should start a veggie garden! Or an herb garden? Doesn't matter! I found a nice sunny patch of grass in the training forest—we could dig up that spot, right? Help me get it set up! I need people to dig, and till... Oh! We need seeds to plant, too! Please and thank you~

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your second event post! Get out your snazzy outfits. It's time to party.
🌙 As you grow into your magic, your character might start realizing they can differentiate between everyone's magic. Everyone has a unique signature, and you may be able to start sensing who cast what, where. Someone put a magical seal on the kitchen door? Smells like Shinjiro's magic. Akira had some of Solomon's sugar? You can sense that, too!
🌙 As you start getting past the basics, your character might realize they have a much easier time with certain kinds of magic over others. For North, this will be offensive and attack spells; for East, this will be intricate seals and curses; for West, this will be manipulative magic like illusions and transformation; for South, this will be healing, purification, and protection. Central? A little bit of everything. Read up on your country if you need a refresher!
🌙 It's been peaceful at home in the manor thus far, hasn't it? Do you think that will last?
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Remember to keep all wider plotting contained to the OOC post, since not everyone checks plurk or discord frequently.
🌙 Our next group to go on their mission is Central. Be ready, heroes...

» NAVIGATION

Comments

[annihilator]

wizard prom

[If there's one thing Malice has decided he really detests, it's playing at being a noble. That includes dressing up, dancing, mingling with important guests, and generally behaving like he's someone else.

So naturally, here we are. Doing all the things Malice hates. He's at least dressed nicely though that sure is a very goth look to bring to a ball. The sleeve of his right arm is pinned up since he didn't bring his prosthetic arm.

Anyway, he's taken to wallflowering. He's usually far more outgoing, but all of this? It sucks. His expression is brooding, gloomy, or annoyed at any point during the night, but he's here and that's got to count for something. He will notably not dance, and will be spending much of the night just watching from over here, thanks.

But as it gets later, eventually he'll head out to the balcony, where he has decided he's just going to sit on the railing, looking up at the moon. When he hears you join him, he turns a bit and grins in greeting.]

Much better out here, yeah? How's your night been?

shadows in the night

[Now this? This is more Malice's speed. He's always loved a good fight and he's been itching for one since arriving here. Especially since he can now use magic! Today he's actually wearing one of his prosthetics, specifically the one with the claws he uses for fighting. So after he's flagged down a partner for this mission (you) and we're approaching the moat...]

So what d'ya think we should blast 'em with first? Fireballs? Lightning? Freezin' 'em? Ooh, or maybe we could use the water in the moat to cause a tidal wave!

[you're going to destroy the castle...]

escorting nobility

[For anyone who saw him at wizard prom, it's probably not a surprise that Malice does not like nobility. So it probably is a surprise that he wanted to participate in this quest at all. But hey, it may involve combat, and what's not to love about that, right? So here Malice is, looking bored as he sits on his broom(?), floating on ahead of the others to keep an eye out.]

I'm startin' to think this's gonna be a lot more borin' than I first thought. Nothin' at all, so far...

[He's once again got the claws on, which almost seems like a waste given how peaceful this has been so far...]

normal malice things

[Malice has obtained some fun items for taking care of his tasks, so why not put them to good(?) use?? You may find him decorating his room with... are those two pictures of himself?? Yes. He is very pleased with them. Can he get some more pictures of himself, thanks rng?? Alternatively, you can find him shaking a magic 8-ball and looking delighted despite the fact that he's just getting YES over and over again. Or staring in awe at... a cool rock? Damn, that's a neat rock.

Or maybe you catch him outside at night in... is that a maid dress. Who let him have that. Why is he wearing it. Oh god. Regardless, Malice has 0 shame and is currently practicing magic in a maid dress. Occasionally he twirls around because you've gotta spin while wearing a dress, it's very fun!! Whee!!

But if you're passing by his room very late at night one night... you might find the door partially open and Malice backed up towards the door looking like the equivalent of a pissed cat. He's on high alert, growling lowly at something that's out of sight from the crack in the door, and he's gripping his prosthetic arm (the one with the claws) like he's trying to will it to work. It's been acting up all week now, after all, and this seems like a bad time for it to die on him. So uh. Y'know! Normal Malice things!]

wildcard

[Want to do something else with Malice? Hit me up on my plotting comment or over on plurk at pokerap or discord! Or just throw something random at me, I will absolutely enjoy it.]

balcony!

[dadsandals]

[ Guess who else is out here? Your buddy...Yams. He's looking much better compared to when he got drained by Mikaela, but unsurprisingly, he's not interested in formalities, either. ]

It's a lot better out here, yeah...and tonight's been interesting.

[ STARES AT AKIRA ]

I'm not surprised you've stepped away.

[annihilator]

[Good, he's glad to see it! But yeah... Akira....... May Solomon be punished for his atrocities.]

Definitely not my kinda scene. Figured I should at least put in an appearance before vanishin', though. But hey, company's better out here!

[It's said like a joke, but he does like Yamato, so!]

[dadsandals]

You're going to vanish already?

[ Please? Sir? It's only been like. An hour... ]

Come on, you can hang in there a little longer. At least for appearances.

Balcony

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Whole thinking bringing you bad memories?

[Memories of vampire nobility, he means. Kiryu isn't a timid person at all, but this isn't his scene, really. He had to take a breather and step out]

[annihilator]

[Ah, here's Kiryu! He figured he'd see the man at some point both because of what he mentioned before and because this doesn't really seem like Kiryu's kind of scene either.]

You betcha. Obviously it ain't exactly the same, but it's close enough to be annoyin'.

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

['thing', not 'thinking', Nick, way to go on that one]

How soon can one leave without it being an offense at anyone?

[There are all kinds of rules for these things, and he has no idea about any of them]

i'm back...shadows

[dadsandals]

H-hey, hey, slow down, okay? Let's not set the castle on fire or anything!

[ He should have expected this after agreeing to go with Malice on this mission. Also, he's no combatant so Malice is really going to have to carry them for at least the first part of this fight while Yamato gathers his bearings. He looks kind of on-edge, considering this'll be his first rodeo with combat. ]

Just do something basic, like a fireball. A small one. Not a big one.

[annihilator]

A small one? But that's boring.

[Malice grins as he slows down so Yamato can catch up to him.]

An inferno'd take 'em out easier, don'tcha think?

[dadsandals]

You'd be killing innocent people too, you know!

[ BRO........... ]

Come on, can't you be bored less violently?

normal malice things ---> night;

[foresightis2020]

[ Well, well, look who it is? Dancing out here in the night, in a maid dress.

Jing Yuan isn't exactly certain of other people's personalities in their entirety just yet, but he hasn't anticipated someone to be so bold to practice in anything.

There is something to say of such fearlessness, though. ]

Someone is eager. Would that be a consequence of enjoying your new attire?

[ And, practice makes perfect, right? ]

[annihilator]

[Who could be afraid of wearing a maid dress?? They're fun and silly!!]

Hah, partially! I figured I'd try it on since I received it.

[Twirl~!]

An' I'm workin' on my spellcastin', so!

[And with another twirl, a burst of flame follows him, flickering out of sight the moment he stops twirling. Don't worry, he won't set the manor on fire (probably).]

[foresightis2020]

[ That they are; he can imagine it easily lowering the guard of an enemy mid-battle even if it would be inconvenient to wear then. ]

I see, so you're putting your gift to good use. Who am I to say that isn't practical?

[ Watching Malice twirl once...twice...and then letting out that burst of flame, like damn. He watches it go too. ]

Impressive. It seems you've also gained skill in fine control of projectile magic?

escorting nobility

[shortleash]

( Mika floats along the rich noble carriage (presumably) on a broom of his own (with black steel bristles, because we, too, are edgy), glancing up when addressed. )

... If you're that bored, we could scout ahead.

( Mika knows the right thing to do would be to stick close to the carriage and play it safe, worrying only about what comes near enough to be an issue. But also, they're humans, so he doesn't really care...? In theory he's being of use to the manor, but he's not exactly invested in their cause yet.

Also, after the ball, he's starting to recognize an additional class of humans he does not like, besides the default human and the scientist type: rich ones. Putting them at risk seems almost fair, given what they're like. )

[annihilator]

[vampires just gotta be edgy af

Anyway, that gets a grin from him - Mika's his favorite vampire. Which is not saying much. His favorite person here right now; that's better.]

Sounds good to me, let's go!

[Surely they'll be fine for like, five minutes tops. So Malice speeds on ahead - which is very easy, he's gotten the hang of zipping around on his broom by now - and keeps an eye out for any potential problems. Nobles or not, they were given a job to do, and failing would probably get Wanderer to be at least mildly annoyed.]

Thanks for comin' with, by the way. Good to have someone along for the ride 'cause I would die of boredom otherwise.

Escorting Nobility

[chronosynthesis]

[Riding a room is a very sensible method of travel for this.

Syrlya, however, is walking.] When escorting civilians, boring really is better.

[Trying not to accidentally lob the head off of a panicking noble getting too close to some creature? Harder than it looks!

He casts Malice a sideways glance.] How strong are your senses? Relative to a human, I suppose.

[He's just. Assuming Malice has humans because there are so damn many humans in these worlds, or people close enough to human that they have a relation.]

[annihilator]

[Just hanging out with the humans down there... But look it's fine, don't worry about it, it's more akin to a plastic scythe than a weapon so the nobles' heads will be safe (for now???)!!]

Pretty damn strong. Well. Mostly. Eyesight's kinda my weak point.

[He points at the bangs covering one of his eyes with a grin. And yes, he is very familiar with humans, so good guess!]

normal malice things - night!

[jorunna]

[ Malice gets a round of clapping from Comet for the twirl. ]

Where'd you get the outfit? It looks nice.

[ They sound genuine! Is this called moonlighting> ]

[annihilator]

[He dips into a bow at that, grinning when he rises.]

Doesn't it? Found it in my room, though I'm not sure where it came from.

[One of the quest rewards, of all things, lmao.]

escorting nobility!

[revengier]

[ Kurapika is flying right beside him on his own very gaudy broom, which he now has much better control over. ]

Isn't that what you should be hoping for? Jobs like this are easy income.

[ He's been security detail for so many obscenely rich families that this feels like more of the same for him, and he's glad for the bit of familiarity for once. ]

[annihilator]

Well... Yeah, guess that does make the most sense, but I've been itchin' for a fight since I got here.

[Malice is a simple vampire. Sometimes you just want to throw down.]

But you're right, I shouldn't be complainin' 'bout it bein' too easy.

balcony

[leewards]

Mm~ [Ithaqua perches on the balustrade right next to him, legs crossed. Even with a half-mask and much fancier clothing than he normally has on, he hasn't left the stilts behind. In fact, these were custom made just for his outfit.

Underneath the half-mask though, his cheeks are lightly pink, which stand out on his pale, almost grey, skin. Someone has clearly been drinking.]

I've been imbibing and indulging! [That much is obvious.] But it's a waste to have a gathering indoors, when the night sky is far more welcoming.

[annihilator]

[Sometimes you gotta brand and gotta stick to it. Malice and respect the stilts. Ithaqua just wants to be the tallest person in the room and who could blame him(?).]

Hah, ain't that the truth! Guessin' you were findin' the place pretty stuffy too, yeah? 'Least we've got this place to ourselves!

[No stuffy nobles out here!!]

putting the no in noble escort

[shadowkin]

Hmmmm, at least we don't have to make small talk. The ball took pretty long already...

[Now, Cid doesn't mind the vagaries of small talk -- especially when he's getting wined and dined and dressed for free, mind you -- but even he has his limits. Particularly when it comes to having to deal with quite that many nobles at once; the real problem is that it's impossible to tell where the main storyline is heading when you're suddenly presented with that many dialogue boxes and quest indicators. And having like 20+ main characters is even worse.

So, actually being on a quest of some sort(?) is kind of relaxing. Not to mention he gets to see Malice (sadly not in a maid dress, this is a tragedy for me, Fyre) wielding his spiky arm, it's a nice bonus after all the foreshadowing.

Shadows notwithstanding, though, this wood is dead, damn.]

Usually woods are more lively than this, I thought. [he adds this like an afterthought, don't ask him what he knows about woods] I was hoping to see that arm in action, too. You got it all fixed up?

as it should be

[annihilator]

[the maid dress will return, so never fear, you will get the opportunity some day...

But anyway! Yeah. These woods are so boring. Where are all the monsters? Bandits? Ominous spooky things?? Smh.]

I did, yeah! [...well.] Alright, well, it's still not workin' perfectly all the time, but it's doin' well enough an' that's what counts!

[should he really bring that into combat when it might not work...?? oh well.]

I was hopin' for a chance to use it too... But it seems like this's gonna be a borin' mission.